Writing Paradigms
| Old | New | |
|---|---|---|
| Writing is mostly taught, not learned. | Writing is mostly learned, not taught. | |
| Writing must be taught part by part. First you must be taught how to write a sentence, then a paragraph, and only then, can you write whole pieces. | Writers often learn to work from wholes to parts as well as from parts to wholes. There is a complex interplay between the concerns of the parts and the whole of writing (for example, between an interest in what word comes next and the shape of the total piece of writing). | |
| There is one process that works for all writers, all kinds of writing, all intents, modes, and audiences. | There is no one process that works for all writing, although there are several shared features in the ways different people write. There are several processes of writing that differ depending on the aim, intent, mode, and audience that different and idiosyncratic. | |
| The writing process is linear. Planning comes first, then writing, then revising. | The writing process is recursive, with the various steps looping back upon themselves, moving from one to the other. We plan, then write, and then revise as well as revise, then plan, then write. | |
| The writing process is conscious. A plan (an outline) can be drawn up before any writing takes place. The writing itself is transcribing of already formulated thought. | Writing is as often preconscious or unconscious as it is planned and conscious. | |
| Writing can be done swiftly and whenever desired. | Writing is done at different paces, different rhythms. Writing can be very slow, especially when it involves a lot of new learning. And writing can be fast, especially when we are writing about something we know or like. | |
| Writing is a silent, solitary activity. The writer works alone. | The writing process can be helped by working with other writers, and a teacher (writing coach/facilitator) who can give valuable response and advice. | |
| Adapted from Emig, Janet. "Non-Magical Thinking: Presenting Writing Developmentally in Schools." In Carl Frederiksen ∓ Joseph Dominic (Eds.), Writing: The Nature, Development, and Teaching of Written Communication. New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1981. 21-30. | ||